Burned
by Mibamonster
Summary: "'I like to think I can look after myself,' I said. 'But thanks for the advice.'" What looked like a casual trip to Diagon Alley turns into a disaster when Death Eaters attack. Jily. Oneshot.


It was as if someone had turned down the volume in Diagon Alley. It was filled with people, from new Hogwarts students admiring their recently bought wands to old witches with bags filled to the brim with octopodes and herbs. Yet it was eerily quiet in the street, everybody speaking in whispers, huddled close together. One woman kept glancing around, her entire body tensed as if she expected an attack at any moment. For all I knew, she was right.

'Isn't this street just bursting with joy,' Emma Hart said while she pushed her way through the crowd. 'My grandmother's funeral had more _joie de vivre _than this. C'mon, Lil. Don't want to lose you in the crowd – how would I ever find you again among all these crazy partiers?' She looked over her shoulder and grinned at me. With her electric blue coat, glossy hair and red lipstick, Emma was very difficult to lose out of sight. Nevertheless, I hurried until I caught up with her.

'Wasn't your grandmother's funeral that time you got really drunk and threw up over your uncle?' I said. Without meaning to, I spoke in a whisper so I wouldn't disturb the silence.

Emma had no such qualms and spoke in her usual volume. 'Yeah. Like I said, more _joie de _– Oi!'

She grabbed me by my arm and pulled me along. 'Potter! Congratulations!' Her exclamation was probably heard by every single person in the street, and that included James Potter and Sirius Black, who were standing in front of Flourish & Blotts. Although they didn't wear bright colours like Emma, they still stood out from the crowd. It took me a moment to realize that was because they were the first I'd seen who didn't look scared or on edge.

'Hiya,' James said as Emma threw her arms around him. Over her shoulder, his eyes met mine and he winked. 'Hey there, Head Girl.'

'Hello, Head Boy.' I held his gaze, saw the corners of his eyes crinkle with mischief while he let go of Emma. This guy was supposed to be Head Boy. Hogwarts trusted him to enforce the rules. James Potter, keeping people in line.

We burst out in laughter at the same time, to confused looks from Sirius and Emma.

'This year is going to be catastrophic,' I said, a thousand scenarios flashing through my mind.

'Hogwarts will be burnt down before Christmas.' He took a step towards me and I, expecting him to hug me like he had Emma, opened my arms, but all he did was hold out his hand. The blood rose to my cheeks as I shook it.

'To an amazing partnership,' he said, ruffling his hair. 'Let's face it: how much damage can we actually do?'

I just raised my eyebrows, and he grinned. 'Guess you're right.'

'And these two are supposed to be the most mature in our year.' Smirking, Sirius shook his head. 'Evans, you are our only hope now, if justice is to prevail!'

'Why do I get the impression you and James made a deal for next year?' said Emma.

Sirius leaned against the shop window and got a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. 'Blackmail is such an ugly word, love.'

'I didn't mention blackmail.'

He grinned as he lit the cigarette with his wand. 'No, but Prongs did.'

'Do I want to know what he's got on you?' Emma said, turning to James. 'Something so embarrassing even you had rather people didn't know about it? I'm intrigued…'

'I doubt Prongs will ever do anything as interesting as what happens in your imagination,' said Sirius. 'Telling you would only spoil your fun.'

I nudged James. 'I guess I've got a year of patrols to find out, huh?'

'You vill never make me zalk,' he said, in a heavy Russian accent, narrowing his eyes.

'That's because you've never been on patrol. Trust me, before this term is over, you'll be spilling all your secrets to me, just to kill the boredom.' The other Prefects and I had got to know each other pretty well during our patrols together, since we had little to do but talk while looking for – well, people like James, actually. I'd always wondered what he'd been up to on those nights.

'Speaking of boredom, Lily and I are going to buy stuff,' said Emma. 'And I thought it would not be fair to abandon you two with no one but each other. Want to come along?'

Sirius scratched his jaw as he thought about this. His look of deep contemplation was so perfect, so posed, that I was sure it was deliberate. 'Prongs? Think we can stand some more time with these two nutters?'

From the corner of my eyes, I saw James itching just a bit closer to me. 'It wouldn't be gentlemanly to abandon them now, would it?'

'Suppose not.' Sirius threw the stub of his cigarette to the ground and stamped it out with his foot. 'Someone needs to protect them from all the scary blokes out there. There are some really weird people around,' he said, holding open the door to the book shop. 'Only this morning I was woken by this complete wanker thinking it was a good idea to take a morning swim. At ten in the morning, can you imagine?'

I stepped inside the store, inhaling the smell of old, leather-bound books. Trailing my fingers over a stack of Potions books, I got the familiar thrill the magical world always gave me. It took all my willpower not to start exploring the new books section, but to focus on the conversation. 'Sounds terrible.'

'Oh, it was. If I were you, I'd stay away from skinny guys wearing glasses, Evans.' He shot James a dark look. 'It's when you least expect it that they come for you.'

'I like to think I can look after myself,' I said. 'But thanks for the advice.'

* * *

_Thump._

'What's that noise?' Emma appeared from behind a cabinet, a jar of newt eyes in her hand. 'Is something happening down there?'

'I don't know,' I said slowly. 'Probably just someone knocking over something, no big deal.' Nevertheless, my hand slipped into my pocket and closed around my wand. I swallowed and forced my lips up into a smile. 'I'll just have a look, okay?'

'It's probably - ' Emma said.

_Thump. Knock_.

All colour was drained from Emma's face when she looked at me. 'What was that?'

Downstairs, someone started to scream: a long, desperate wail. I ran to the stairs, just in time to see the display window shatter into a thousand pieces and a man falling in backwards. His head landed on the wooden floor with a 'thud'; a dark, red pool started forming around him.

For a moment, it seemed as if everything was in slow motion and I took in the scene. The frightened shoppers, the dead man, James rushing forward to have a look at him – and the robe-clad, masked figure kicking open the door and entering, followed by two others. A peaceful, disconnecting silence rung in my ears, until the first spell was fired.

And all turned into chaos.

A high shriek pierced my ears and I nearly fell over when someone pushed me aside. Grasping the railing, I saw one of the Death Eaters get out his wand and point it at someone I couldn't see. Within a moment I'd drawn my own wand and shouted 'Protego!' I didn't check to see if it had helped, but swivelled around and assessed the situation on the first storey. No Death Eaters – yet – but me, Emma, and a couple of younger people I'd seen around Hogwarts. One of them held her wand out in front of her, her mouth pulled down in determination. She couldn't be older than fifteen.

'Emma!'

Transfixed, she'd been staring at the scene below us, but now she whipped her head towards me. Her blue eyes were wide with horror.

'We have to get them out of here,' I said, gesturing at the younger students. 'I don't think they can Apparate yet – can you take them away by Side-Along - '

I didn't have to finish; she already nodded. Placing her hand on the shoulder of a boy, she asked me, 'Aren't you doing the same?'

I swallowed and glanced at the stairs flashing red and blue from the spells cast. Another scream reached us, making the decision for me. 'I'm going downstairs to stop this. Please, please make sure they don't go anywhere.' I gave the determined girl a stern look, and her jaw dropped.

'My dad's down there! I'm not just letting him - ' she started. She never got to finish; Emma grabbed her by her arm and in the blink of an eye they'd disappeared. I turned to the other children, hoping none of them hoped to join the fight as well.

'Listen, they might not come up here. Don't let it be obvious you're here,' I said. There was a loud _crash _behind me. Craning my neck, I was just in time to see a glass case being blasted apart, entrails spattering everywhere. I swallowed and turned back to the children. 'Hide somewhere behind the closets and please, please, please don't go downstairs until you're absolutely sure the fight is over, okay? Just… be really careful.' I sought the oldest-looking of them and focused on a boy who looked around sixteen. 'What's your name?' '

His dark skin had gone pale, but his voice was steady when he said, 'Marcus. Marcus Dawson.'

'Okay, Marcus. I'm putting you in charge. Keep them safe until Emma gets them out. Can you do that?'

He nodded and I turned to go, only stopping when he said, 'You be careful too, okay?'

The earnestness in his eyes made me smile despite everything. 'I'll do my best. Don't worry about me.' Clenching my wand tightly, I made for the stairs. I dashed down the steps, taking them four at a time, and suddenly the quiet from upstairs was gone. All around me were people shouting and cursing and running and pushing and screaming. To my right, a Death Eater was duelling a tall, skinny man – and advancing. The man backed away until he touched the wall and terror crossed his face.

'Here I go,' I muttered, running towards him. Before I could cast my first spell, I slipped on something wet and slimy on the floor. I fell forward, pushing into the Death Eater. _Oh no. Oh no no no_. My breath caught in my throat as the Death Eater turned his wand to me, pointing it between my eyes. Desperate, I tried to come up with a spell, anything, but my mind drew a blank, so I did the only thing I could think of. I raised my elbow and slammed it against his temple.

An electric shock ran through my arm, but I ignored it, aiming my wand at the Death Eater. He was scrambling up now_. I could Stun him, or maybe bind him, or should I_ – A blue beam hit the Death Eater in his neck and he went limp.

Breathing heavily, the tall man looked down at the unmoving body, then at me. 'Thanks.'

'N-no problem.' I stared at the Death Eater, and a horrible thought came over me. _Was he dead? _When I looked up to ask the tall man, he had already disappeared into the mass of fighting Wizards. For the length of a heartbeat, I hesitated, but then I pointed my wand at the Death Eater and levitated him to a quieter place underneath the staircase, before he got trampled. I didn't have time to see how he landed – a cry for help turned my attention back to the battle.

People became a blur. I cast spells at the Death Eaters, but they all looked so the same, there were so many people around, there was so much noise and movement and confusion, I didn't know _who _I was fighting. I just knew that more and more masked figures showed up – or did it just seem that way? A couple of times I caught flashes of people I knew – Emma was now fighting, too, and I'd seen Sirius duelling two Death Eaters at once. No sign of James.

'Hey sexy.' Emma ran over to me, ducking to evade a curse. 'How are you?'

'Where are the children? Are they all safe?' I had to shout at her to be heard.

'Brought them to Oxford Street,' she said. 'It was completely safe, no sight of any of _these _arseholes.' She cast a jinx at a Death Eater's legs and he collapsed to the floor, his lower body convulsing. 'Seriously, though – how are you? Okay?'

I nodded, but she bit her lip. 'You sure? You're bleeding…' She brought her hand to her forehead and I mirrored her gesture, surprised to find blood on my fingers when I looked at them.

'I'm really fine,' I said, touching my eyebrow gingerly.

'Okay. I'll see y – duck!'

'Wh - '

Emma placed her hands on my shoulders and pushed me down. A red bolt of light soared through the air where a moment ago my head had been, shattering a bookcase behind me. I looked past Emma's arm to see the Death Eater she'd cursed glaring at us, his mouth moving for another spell. Emma and I exchanged a quick look, and then her lips curled up in her usual arrogant smile.

'I can take this,' she said, swivelling around and using a Shield Charm so strong the Death Eater was knocked back a couple of feet.

'Good one,' I said.

She shrugged. 'Thanks. Now go and make yourself useful, Head Girl. Over there.' She nodded at woman in a corner, who was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a Death Eater. Before I left, I gave Emma a small squeeze to her shoulder and she returned it with a wink.

Two Death Eaters and a hard hit to my head later, I finally spotted James. He was transforming the glass pots into vicious birds that attacked the Death Eaters. His shirt was ripped and there was a nasty gash on his cheek, but it was as if my heart stopped with relief when I saw him alive. He stood still for a couple of seconds, watching as his birds circled over the crowd and attacked our opposition. When he looked as if he was about to re-join the fight, he saw me and a grin spread across his face.

'I knew you were still here,' he said. He pointed at the birds. 'What do you think?'

I snorted and shook my head. Even now he had to show off. 'Very pretty.'

'Always, Evans. I have a reputation to uph - '

His head was forced back by a large arm closing around his neck. The Death Eater that was holding him had lost his mask, and his blond hair stood in all directions. A maniacal light shone from his eyes as he pressed his wand into James's windpipe.

'Thought you were being clever, huh?' he said in a raspy voice. 'Thought it was _funny _to play with the grown-ups?' He tugged and James winced, his hands pulling the blond Death Eater's arm. 'Thought you could get away with that, did ya, boy?'

I couldn't get a good shot at the Death Eater, not with James's body in front of him. I stepped aside, trying to get a different angle, but the Death Eater noticed me and followed my movements, using James as a shield.

'Is she your girlfriend?' the Death Eater sneered. 'Does the little boy need a _girl _to rescue him?'

But James wasn't listening to him. He was staring at me and then, almost indiscernibly, he mimicked pressing his elbow into the Death Eater's stomach. He raised his eyebrows and then made the tiniest movement of his head to the back. I just hoped the Death Eater hadn't seen my nod.

'Let me tell you this, boy. When I'm done with - '

His arm let go of James's neck as the Death Eater bended forward, his eyes bulging out of their sockets. James backed off just as I sent a Stunning Spell and the Death Eater fell forward, his head landing on the floor with an unpleasant knock.

'With that aim, I dread to think how you behave on patrol,' said James, rubbing his neck. 'Remind me never to get on your bad side.' He turned his head to look at the battle and his shoulders slumped. 'Shouldn't the Ministry be here by now?'

I could only think of one reason why it would take the Ministry so long to get here: this wasn't the only place under attack. The thought made my heart go cold, but I tried to make my voice sound as confident as possible. 'They'll get here soon, I'm sure they… will…'

There was a loud cracking noise from above and for a moment, everybody froze, watching as the staircase started wobbling and then swaying and then came crashing down where moment earlier there had been a fight. Pieces of wood flew around, hitting shoppers and Death Eaters, smashing pots and vials everywhere.

'They'd better be here soon,' James said. He'd gone very pale. 'Or there won't be a place _left_.'

He re-entered the fray, but it seemed as if the intensity of the fight was decreasing. The place was emptying; people were getting tired. I certainly was. With my sleeve I brushed away some blood that was dripping down my eyebrow, wishing I could just stand here until everything was all right again. But things like this didn't make themselves all right, did they? So I took a deep breath and followed James's example, careful not to slip on the many potion ingredients littering the floor. My stomach churned when I stepped on something soft and I saw it was a body. I backed away, but the sight of a wet, red footprint on the back of the person's shirt was too much for me. In the middle of a fight, I vomited, pressing my forehead against the cool stone wall. I didn't want to do this. I wanted to go home. Why was this happening? Why was no one coming?

A brief touch on my arm made me swirl around, but the woman who'd reached out didn't seem hostile.

'Ssh, it's okay,' she said softly, running her hand along my arm. 'It's almost over.'

'I stepped in his blood.' I clasped my hand over my mouth and retched, but nothing came out. A horrible, acid-like smell filled my nose. 'I stepped in his blood and he's just lying there and I stepped in his blood and on him and he's dead, isn't he? _Isn't he?_' I screamed at her when she didn't reply.

'I'm sorry,' was all she said. 'Listen, you should just get out of here, keep yourself safe, okay?'

An image of Emma, James and Sirius, standing in the sun and laughing, flitted through my mind. They were still in that fight. _They might need me. Don't abandon them now_, I thought. All around me people were screaming and cursing, making it hard to keep my thoughts straight, except one: _Don't abandon them. _

'Thank you,' I said. 'But I think I need to - ' I caught the terrified look on her face and followed her gaze. It felt like someone kicked me in the stomach.

_Oh, no_.

The back of the shop was on fire. Not regular fire, but bright, purple flames that came as high as the ceiling, turning that into a sea of flames as well. As I watched, the wood of the first-floor landing burnt and a glass cabinet fell through. When it hit the floor, it shattered into thousands of pieces. I shielded my eyes, wanted to go, wanted to run, but my feet were rooted to the ground.

'Come on,' the woman said. Her dark hand was still on my arm, but now she wasn't soothing, but pulling me away. 'We have to get out, _now!_'

She wasn't the only one thinking that. Everybody was hurrying to the door, pushing past others in their haste to make it out alive. I let myself be led by the woman, but glanced back anyway, checking if anyone was left behind. The weird smell from earlier was intensified and became almost stifling. It was mixed with something else now: the scent of burning flesh. My throat constricted when I realized that would be the fate of the man I'd stepped on. If he wasn't dead yet, he would be soon. It seemed like a horrible, horrible way to die.

'What if there's anyone in there?' I asked the woman.

'Don't worry about them now, just get yourself out!'

I nearly tripped again on my way to the exit, but the woman's grip kept me upright. Some people were escaping through the window, followed by a stream of blue smoke. I climbed on the counter, cutting my hands on the many glass shards, and as I turned around to hold out my hand to someone else, I saw him: the Death Eater I'd hidden near the staircase. The staircase wasn't there anymore, but he was, still unconscious.

_He's going to die there_, I thought, horrified.

Part of me wanted to go back, save at least someone, but my reason held me back. The constant flow of people pushed me towards the outside world, where a circle of spectators had formed around the shop. My eyes scanned the crowd. There was Emma, talking to a fat, balding man; and Sirius, frowning, his gaze focused on the people coming out. I waved at him and he smiled at me, but didn't stop looking.

'He's safe. Trust me, he's safe, I Apparated him to Oxford Circus, he's there with other kids, they're all safe,' Emma was telling the man. Tears were streaming down his face as he turned around and Disapparated.

Emma looked more dishevelled than I'd ever seen her. As soon as she caught sight of me, she put her arms around me and whispered, 'I was so worried about you. You weren't coming out and I couldn't see you anywhere and I thought…'

I closed my eyes and breathed in the smell of her hair. I could distinguish her perfume even through the scents of sweat and blood and smoke. 'I love you so much,' I said, my voice breaking. 'I'm so glad you're safe.'

Letting Emma go, I nodded towards Sirius. We walked over to him and Emma threw herself in his arms. Although he patted her on the back, his eyes never left the shop. Fewer and fewer people were leaving it now, but the smoke was so thick it was hard to look inside.

'Sirius?' I asked.

'Prongs didn't come out.' His voice was little more than a whisper. 'He's still in there.'

As the meaning of those words hit me, Sirius pushed Emma away and dashed towards the shop.

'He's crazy,' someone said. I glanced aside and recognized the tall and skinny man who'd knocked out 'my' first Death Eater. The Death Eater who was still inside, not even knowing his end was coming.

'He's saving someone's life,' I said. 'And so am I.'

'Lily, what - ?' Emma said, when I ran for the apothecary. Except unlike Sirius, I was stopped on my way in. The tall man grabbed me around my waist before I'd come halfway. I tried to hit him, but he was stronger than he looked.

'Don't throw your life away,' he said. 'Don't go in.'

'There's someone in there, and he's unconscious, and if I don't get him, he'll die.' I pulled myself free. 'Just because you leave people behind when they're defenceless, doesn't mean I do.'

His jaw dropped. 'You're going in to save _him?_ You're going to risk your life to save a Death Eater?' The disbelief in his face mirrored Emma's, but I didn't care.

'Yes. Nobody deserves to die that way,' I said, taking out my wand.

'You're crazy,' the man whispered. But when I headed for the shop once more, he didn't stop me.

Even near the window the smoke was so thick it was almost impossible to see. Putting my sleeve over my nose and mouth, I whispered, '_Flaminio._' The air coming from the tip of my wand kept most of the smoke at bay, though my vision didn't go much farther than three feet. After a couple of steps, the smoke closed in behind me. In the dark, I couldn't hear the people outside, I didn't know where I was, I had no idea where the Death Eater was. I banged my knee against a counter and held out my hand to steady myself. My fingers touched something wet and spongy. What was that? Where was I?

'Hello?' I tried, but I got no response. 'Hello? I'm coming to help you – please, let me know where you are…'

It was so hot in here. So soon.

In my memory, the Death Eater had been on the right side of the room and not too far in the back. I made my way through the debris until I found the wall I could follow to the Death Eater. Every time I knocked into something, I tried to picture where that was in the store, but the imagine in my mind was that of the store before the attack. That wasn't what it was like now.

_Maybe I should go back_, I thought. _I can't find him. If I do, I won't be able to get him out. You don't have to die for this. _

I'd never been this warm before. How could it be this hot in one place? I should go back – there was nothing here for me – the man would be –

My feet touched something squishy. Praying it wouldn't be a something slimy again, I bent down and reached out into the dark. My fingertips brushed along a fabric and I closed my hand around what felt like an arm. How was I going to get him out? I couldn't see how he was lying, I couldn't see where I had to go, I couldn't see anything except for... a small point of light coming closer and closer. I squinted when a second bright dot appeared. Then, through the smoke, holding out their wands, came Sirius and James. They had some sort of bubbles around their heads; James opened his mouth, but I couldn't hear what he was saying.

'What?' I called back, inhaling so much smoke that my throat started itching.

_What are you doing? _James mouthed.

I indicated the Death Eater. James glanced at him, and then looked back at me, startled. _What?!_

Rolling my eyes, I pointed first at the Death Eater, then at where I thought the exit was. For a long moment, James just stared at me, until he swallowed and aimed his wand at my face. The next thing I knew, I had a similar bubble around my head, one that was filled with delicious, clean air. In the light from James and Sirius's wands, I could assess the situation for the first time: the unconscious figure, covered in dust and rat's tails and now with his very own bubble. I doubted I could lift him on my own, or even with James and Sirius – the Death Eater looked pretty heavy…

_What do we do? _Sirius mouthed.

I shrugged while racking my brain for a solution. It was getting hotter and hotter and for some reason that reminded me of something… Emma, laughing at me, saying… What was it again? I shouldn't be thinking about that right now, I had to focus on _getting out of a burning building_, but… It had been during a Quidditch match and I'd been cold, and…

'_What, are you going to make a fire by hand?_ _Oh, come on, Lily. Are you a witch or not?_'

I wanted to smack myself in the face, but the bubble made that impossible. Since James and Sirius's wands were already being used for the light and the fresh air wasn't needed from mine anymore, it was time for some more magic. With a small flick of the wrist, I gestured to the Death Eater and said, '_Locomotor corpus._' The body was lifted into the air just as I saw flames flickering somewhere deeper into the smoke. Time to go.

I turned to go back and stepped through the debris. Now that seeing was possible again and breathing no longer perilous, I felt things moved a lot quicker. A couple of times James's hand touched mine, a small reassurance that he was safe. That I was safe, too. I entwined my fingers with his, because for some reason I knew I would be all right as long as he was there. Soon, so much faster than I'd expected, I saw the light from the outside world. Tugging James along, I ran for the door. When I stepped outside, it was like my heart stopped. It was so cool. So bright. The Death Eater fell to the ground, where the tall, skinny man ran to him and started checking his vital signs. A frighteningly high voice screamed, 'LILY EVANS, I HATE YOU SO MUCH!' – the next moment, I was pushed against Sirius by Emma's tight hug.

'That was _not _funny,' she said, and to my surprise I found the bubble had disappeared and I could hear again. Then she held me at an arm's length and scrutinized me. 'Are you okay?'

'Five by five.'

She let out something that was a mixture between a chuckle and a sob and embraced me again. 'Sometimes I don't know what your brain is, you silly ginger girl.'

'I'll say,' said James. 'Evans, why were you in there? Because of him?'

I nodded, but his expression didn't become any less confused. '_Why?_'

'Because otherwise he was going to _burn_ to _death!_' I gestured at the burning building. 'It was my fault that he was lying there. If I hadn't gone in and saved him, he would've died. Because of me. I would've been my fault that someone _died _today.' Tears were pricking in my eyes, but I blinked furiously. 'What he did was horrible, but I couldn't just let him die for it. He deserves a trial and if I hadn't gone back, he would've been…'

'So you thought it would be a good idea to run in after him?' James said.

'I panicked, okay!' Without wanting to, I literally grabbed my own hair and pulled it. 'I had to do something and Sirius had run in and it seemed like a… like an acceptable idea.' I crossed my arms in front of my chest, looking away from James's face. The disbelief made me uncomfortable. No, it wasn't the best thought-out plan I'd ever had, but time had been scarce. 'He would've _died _there.'

'Bloody hell, Lily.' I'd never heard James sound so defeated. I peeked at him and wasn't surprised to find him staring at me.

Slowly, a grin spread across his features. He almost seemed disbelieving when he said, 'I just love you so much.'

… _wait, what?_

'Excuse me?' I said. I glanced at Emma, whose entire face was screaming excitement. She caught my look and winked at me, smiling at least as broadly as James had been. When I turned my attention back to James, his grin was replaced by an expression of mortified horror, and he seemed to be engaged in some serious non-verbal communication with Sirius. I caught sight of Sirius holding up three fingers and then both his pinkie fingers, looking like he was a secret agent on a mission. Maybe he was. I never knew with those boys.

'Sirius, I think we should stand over there,' said Emma. 'Seems like Lily and James have some things to discuss.'

I raised my eyebrows at her in panic, begging her not to go. _Emma! Don't. Do. This. Stay. Help me. _

There was no mistaking what her expression said: _I am helping you. _

'We need to tell those parents where their children are,' she said, far too cheerily to be genuine in this situation. Taking Sirius by his arm, she walked to one of the adults. Leaving me with James.

I wished I could just re-enter that building, save a Death Eater or two. That fire wasn't as hot as the intensity of my embarrassment at this moment. What was I supposed to say to James? He was nice, but I definitely didn't _love _him, and where had that come from, and how did I feel about this and was he going to ask me out on a date and if he did, would I accept and –

'We have the least subtle friends in the universe,' he said after a very long and awkward silence.

_He started the conversation. Thank Merlin. _'Like two sledgehammers.'

'Sirius Black and Emma Hart, the two Beater's bats of subtlety.'

I tried to come up with more to say, but my conversational skills weren't equipped for this, nor was my wit. Maybe it would be best to pretend it hadn't happened, but what good would that do in the end?

Besides, I was kind of curious. It wasn't every day that people accidentally said they loved me.

'So…' I said.

'So. Yeah. Well.' He cleared his throat, scratched the back of his neck, looked at the floor. 'It's just a thing I do, you know.'

'Confess your love to your classmates?'

He chuckled. 'I meant "making myself look ridiculous", but, yeah… You should've seen me with Remus in second year. And of course I tell Wormtail _all _the time.'

I couldn't help but smile at that, before I remembered I was embarrassed. 'You'd make a lovely couple.'

'Yeah, we would.' Behind him, Aurors were Apparating and Disapparating, taking away the leftover Death Eaters. The smoke from the apothecary reached high into the sky – even Muggles would have to be able to see this. All around us people were reunited with their loved ones, falling in each other's arms. All that was less interesting than what James was saying, but it did make the entire experience surreal. I couldn't imagine I was having this conversation _now_.

'Then I wish you and Peter all happiness,' I said. 'I mean, I knew all along…'

'Oh, yeah.' He nodded gravely. 'You were just the beard.'

'Oookay then.' In an attempt to hide my awkwardness, I pushed a non-existent lock of hair behind my ear. 'So you've secretly been in love with Peter for all these years and you do things like this all the time. Glad we cleared that up.'

'Yes.'

'Okay.'

'Fine.'

He looked up and stared me in the eye. In that one moment, all weirdness evaporated, leaving nothing but silliness in its wake. I tried to keep a straight face, but his grin was infectious.

'Merlin, Potter, you're _such _an idiot!' I laughed.

'And you like me for it,' he said, winking in a very good imitation of Emma.

I did like it. Very, very much. 'Do you think Peter would get very upset if you went for a drink with someone else?'

His grin was all the answer I needed.

* * *

**A/N: My first attempt at writing action, and hints/tips/commentary is very appreciated. I hope you enjoyed it!**


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